Large scale energy storage involves several different mechanisms of energy storage which differ in application by how fast and how frequently each subsystem can absorb or deliver energy. Conventional systems are inadequate for transferring large blocks of energy from slow response sources to fast response loads or fast intermediate loads, and recovering energy from pulsed power loads to either intermediate response sources or to an AC source.
Energy storage and pulsed power at the megawatt and gigawatt level require new topologies for the magnetics of the transformer and the electrical machinery, as well as enhanced cooling to reduce component critical temperatures, extend lifetime and allow faster repetition rates for an effector. High-voltage DC (HVDC) outputs are useful to power pulsed power loads, and low-voltage (LVDC) outputs are useful to power radar and lower power pulse forming network (PFN) loads. The combination of an electro-chemical energy source with an inertial energy source allows for a fast response system which can accommodate both high energy loads and high average power loads and provide multiple voltage levels of output.